Initial Trade Show Numbers are Way Down!

The initial burst of frenetic activity in 2009 has now finally given way to action after so much preparation and we are off to San Diego for our first event of the year. After Christmas and New Year holidays coupled with the general high energy levels required to kick start the new year I am looking forward to getting away from the base and enjoying the trade show event.

For me this is one of the high points of the year because it really starts the marketing season as far as my own diary is concerned and selling feels like it has started for real.  The trade press is full of stories of this company going under or that company gone into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and I note that this applies equally abroad as at home but I am sticking to what has worked in the past and I have no doubt will work in the future and more importantly, right now – increasing my efforts in times of recession puts us into a far better position when recession ends and the recovery arrives.

In the interim, I am enjoying the fruits of recession – our pre-event marketing and communications have already generated several good inquiries and sales meetings to take place at the event next week including a major prospect who a competitor has been supplying for the last five years or so; now they are looking at us and guess why – our competition is doing the same old thing everyone else is doing and cutting back to save cost and leaving their customers high and dry for me.

Recessions are great if you are prepared to go the extra mile and increase your effort levels because everyone else is leaving the playing field precisely because they think that they are saving money – they are not – what they are doing is cutting back on profits!

Trade show numbers may be way down in terms of exhibitors and trade show displays,  but attendees do not have the same obstacles to overcome if they wish to attend – it’s as simple as this – the zebras are still flocking around but there are not so many lions hunting them.

Weathering the Harsh Economic Climate

We are in recession and there can be no denying it but what do you do when you are confronted with the cost of maintaining your exhibition schedule?

For a start, if you decide to cut back on your event schedule and cut dates from your calendar you are going to find you are being asked all kinds of questions from customers and potential customers who have become used to seeing you at an event.  Certainly if I was expecting to see a company and they weren’t there, I’d start asking myself if business was suffering from them and the inevitable question is going to arise; are they going to be in business next year?

Customers are not the only people you have to worry about; event managers will not be so quick to reinstate your seniority if you cut them from your schedule and the spot you and others have come to accept as yours may no longer be available if you later decide to put the event back into your trade show calendar.

Before you look at cutting shows or reducing your presence at an event think about the alternatives that will allow you to maintain your marketing effort.

Taking on an event partner to shoulder some of the cost of exhibiting is an obvious idea and this produces many synergies when it comes to attracting new prospects and customers if you play this right.

Think about renting your exhibition assets and trade show display instead of buying them; you can rent or lease customized displays which will not require such a huge capital investment and this makes great economic sense and will relieve both your cash flow and bank manager.

Just as you are supplying goods and services, you in turn will be relying on your own suppliers to allow you to deliver what your customers are looking for.  I always give my suppliers a call to see what they will put into the budget when I am on the road and this is a win-win situation for everyone as if you create sales you are going to be placing your own orders with your suppliers, so everyone is making money down the line and it pays suppliers to support your sales efforts.

Really think things through before you cut your trade show calendar or exposure; there are alternatives and what you cut back on now may not be recoverabledown the road when the good times roll again.

Trade Show Demographics

Newcomers to trade show exhibiting are frequently overwhelmed with getting their trade show display arranged, finding an event and getting the logistcs and pre-event preparation complete so they can stand on the booth and grab some orders.

Like anything else in life; if only it was that simple

When you come to choose an event to exhibit at one of the issues you should be asking about are the trade show demographics for past events.  these will give you information on more than simple numbers of attendees but also the breakdown in terms of who the attendees represent, whether they are considering buying and how much and what as well as a host of other information which will help you assess the value of exhibiting at the event for your business.

Using trade show demographics is not an exact science and a different base may be used to calculate the data plus you may need to treat the information with a pinch of salt depending on who has produced the information.  Remember event management are trying to sell you space so they can make themselves a bonus and meet sales targets just as you are trying to do.

Using the trade show demographics to see how closely an event matches your own target customer audience is going to help you become more effective but don’t think in a linear fashion; think outside the box and use demographics to back up your thinking.

Nordic Track achieved brilliant tradeshow success with their cross training Scandinavian ski machine not at fitness tradeshows but at dental tradeshows.  The demographics were on the money for them but they exhibited at events which were completely unrelated to their line of business; it made them stand out in a bunch of people who had the cash and desire for their product and the only competition for them at the tradeshows were a pack of orthdontists!

Tradeshow demographics are something you should always request before you commit to an event and you should take the time to learn what they are trying to tell you.

Winning Market Share in a Recession with Trade Shows

I came across this from Wayne Hurlbert on his Blog Business World way back in 2007 and it should give everyone pause for consideration:

“Should there be an economic downturn, the prudent course of action is to see an opportunity where everyone else sees a crisis. One of those expansion opportunities is through increased market share.

While other business owners and managers enter into a contraction and retrenchment mode during a recession, the contrarian business person thinks in terms of expansion. When other businesses cut back on marketing and advertising, they are surrendering potential market share. There is no better opportunity to pick up new customers and increase your company’s profile in the marketplace. When other organizations are cutting back, it’s time to claim their abandoned market share.”

When recession starts to bite, companies that tend to navigate the hard business climate through to the recovery successfully are good at several things. They focus on what they do well and keep doing it while at the same time they perceive an opportunity in hard business times when the competition is seeing shrinking margins and implementing cutback after cutback.

The knee jerk reaction of your competitors frequently leaves large areas of the market unattended and though the overall economic situation may be bad, you will find isolated opportunities where the withdrawal of your competitors has left potential customers ripe for the picking.

Professor John Quelch of Harvard Business School also had this to say last week in a post on September 24, 2008 - “How to Market in a Recession”:

“3. Maintain marketing spending. This is not the time to cut advertising. It is well documented that brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times….”

Review your marketing strategy but this

5 Top Tips to Recession Proof your Business?

No-one likes the “R” word but there is no getting away from it; business is very hard right now as financial markets collapse, the Wall Street credit woes have hit Main Street and everyone is looking for ways to save money, make more and keep their bottom line intact.

The big question is how we keep our businesses safe and go forward through to the recovery that will inevitably follow?

Take a look at these business tips for recession proofing your company.

Tip #1 – See the people!

One seasoned salesman explained that there are only three rules to selling:

1. See the people;
2. See the people; and
3. See the People!!!!!!!!!!

You get the point I’m sure; sending out your message again and again is not business spamming, it is a good business sense. On average it takes someone at least a dozen instances of your name or message being put before them before it reaches high level consciousness. Take every opportunity to get you name and message before people you do business with or intend doing business with; there is no mileage in hiding your light under a bush here so get the blow horn out and start spreading the word.

Regular mailings, emails, newsletters, marketing and promotional campaigns, business events, networking, trade shows and seminars, sponsorship, press releases, business awards, public service…whatever it takes to get yourself known and kept in the mind’s eye of your business community and customer base is essential.

Never stop broadcasting what you do and who you are.

Tip #2 – Free Trials

This was picked up in at a sales seminar for a car dealer in

Trade Show Icebreakers – How to Say Hello to a Stranger

Picture the scene; you’re in your booth, a prospect is scanning your presentation and stops for a moment on the way to somewhere else for a briefest pause.

You have a second to stop them turning away and moving on.

What do you do?

Too late!

They left.

Anyone thinking they just weren’t that interested in the booth and so disqualified themselves from any further sales and marketing attention can simply stop reading here.

Successful trade shows are busy and packed with attendees and exhibitors looking to do business. As an exhibitor, you’ll find business where you least expect it, so it’s a mistaken presumption to think our rushed attendee above was not interested in what we have to offer. Attendees are also booked up for meetings on the day as well as being overwhelmed with competing exhibitors vying for their attention and limited time available.

It’s frequently difficult to break the ice and make that approach to entice a prospect into meaningful dialogue and so lead the conversation around to talking business where you can really qualify your prospect. With this in mind, here are some handy hints and one-liners to make initial contact and draw your prospect in.

At #1 – Big Smile and a Big Hello

It’s as simple as a smile and genuine greeting. Combining a smile with a greeting makes it almost impossible for a prospect to ignore you because it is a hard wired human reaction to smile and return the greeting back.

For experienced exhibitors and sales people,

Top 10 Tips for Maximizing Trade Show Potential on a Budget

If your name is Bill Gates and you work for Microsoft, you don’t need to read this. If you use trade shows to reach out to new and old customers, working on a budget and want to make the most out of the opportunity for doing business, then this is definitely for you so read on.

Every day, trade shows across the country help generate millions of dollars for businesses, most of them are not the large companies with an established product line but the small and medium sized businesses where putting up the cost of exhibiting can be prohibitive.

You need to make every buck count and you’re going to be surprised at how much of your trade show success will depend on what you do instead of how much you spend!

Top Tip #1

If you are relatively new to using trade shows, rent the smallest trade show display that is practical and consider this to be a learning experience while keeping costs down as you work out what works for you and what does not for future use.

Top Tip #2

When you dress for the show, look to dress up slightly better than the attendees. You are aiming to appear professional but not aloof and unapproachable.

Top Tip #3

Pay a visit to a trade show before you plan your own exhibition. This will give you a feel for developing your own trade show presence and there is nothing stopping you from networking as an attendee.

Top Tip #4

Think about teaming up with a non-competing business to share costs and booth space. This will help you both in terms of sharing costs and the synergy created when it comes to advertising and referrals; a recommendation from another business to potential customers is far more valuable than an advert in the press. An example would be, you are sell roofing products so consider teaming up with a window manufacturer and cross sell to your potential customers.

Top Tip #5

As you develop experience with trade shows, you should think about keeping your presentations and booth fresh and interesting both for new and old customers. Look at featuring new products for your existing customers and if this isn’t possible, demonstrate product upgrades and showcasing new applications while keeping your marketing materials updated. Get everyone at the office in on this as brainstorming is a great way to get creative without spending a lot of money.

Top Tip #6

If you attend a show as an attendee, take a look at how many business cards you collect during the course of the day; a lot! Now think about each of those people who gave you a card and the odds are you cannot remember who was offering what – you need something on your business cards to make sure the people you give your card out to do not experience the same amnesia.

Put a picture of your leading product onto your business cards and use the same picture as part of your booth presentation. This will make it easier for attendees to recall why they took your card and what you are selling when they get back home to base with dozens of other business cards.

Top Tip #7

Don’t forget the basics of sales and marketing; there are three simple rules to follow – See the People, See the People and See the People!

Make sure you tell customers and prospects you will be at the trade show, what your booth number is, the location address and in your pre-show materials, provide a discount or other promotional offer for coming by your booth.

Use your website to list upcoming events you are exhibiting at as well as giving the information you mail out, but make sure you remove reference to an event after it has closed or your website will look out of date.

Top Tip #8

When you plan your booth display, make it open and inviting with coffee and refreshments on the side or at the rear but visible and don’t put a desk or table across the open entrance to the booth and sit behind it – this looks intimidating for people to approach you and will also make those who do come in feel trapped. Use your space wisely to draw potential customers in make them feel relaxed in a business like setting.

Do not sit down! If you can’t stand on your feet all day, use a high stool and not a low chair. The reason being is that attendees are put off by people in booths rising up from a seat to meet them so it is better to be already on your feet so make sure you wear comfortable shoes too!

Top Tip #9

Make sure you have the right identification and documents to let you into the exhibition hall!

Sounds simple and logical but you will be surprised at how many attendees and exhibitors fail to have the right paperwork to gain admittance.

Top Tip #10

Before you plan an exhibition booth, sit down with your team and do the basics first. Identify your potential customers and target markets; identify what their needs and requirements are; come up with tangible and quantifiable objectives and then plan your booth to meet those targets.

With this in mind, make sure you plan your booth so it is uncluttered and a potential customer can focus clearly on what you are offering immediately – remember there will be hundreds of other booths competing for attention so don’t make attendees work to figure yours out.

Working with trade shows and exhibitions can be tiring and fraught with stress in getting everything planned and executed but this is where something is also lost; the main opportunity a trade show presents is to get to know new customers and strengthen the relationship with existing ones and that happens when you have fun!

You can maximize the fun factor by making sure you plan and prepare everything beforehand so consider your exhibition presence very carefully.

Yes, there is a serious aspect to doing business, but trade shows are relaxed and informal and are an opportunity to let your own corporate and individual personalities shine through so feel free to experiment with your trade show approach and find out what works for you.

Why Participate in a Trade Show at ALL?

Trade shows are an excellent opportunity for your business to get concentrated exposure in front of a targeted audience. Asking the right questions about the trade show to make sure the event is a good fit for you and your company, the appearance of your trade show display, and how you decide to set up your space will all determine whether the trade show is a wise investment for you.

If your company or organization is only half-heartedly considering participation in a trade show you’ve heard about or attended once or twice, forget it. Participating in a trade show and getting positive results from it require passion, which can be bought at the price of proper preparation.

If you’re contemplating participation in a trade show and you just don’t know if you want to spend the money, forget it. You can’t afford to be there with that kind of attitude. Your decision to participate in the trade show is going to be reasoned by talking to the Trade Show sponsor/manager and this requires taking initiative and asking intelligent questions.

Trade Show Exhibition Tips

According to Julia O’Connor, Author of The Trade Show Reader, working in an exhibit booth is a sales call, not a social call. Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your next trade show.

Boothsmanship describes the common courtesy and basic skills required for a show of any size, and is for anyone who participates in a trade show. It goes beyond not being obnoxious, or showing a disdain for being at the show. These are basic social skills. They are also known as – The Things Your Mother Taught You But You Don’t Do Because You Think You Won’t See These People Again.

• Stand up Straight. Stand – don’t sit – and always look attentive.
• Smile. We want to approach and deal with pleasant people
• Don’t Gossip. What goes around, comes around. It’s better to listen than to speak.
• Don’t Drink, Smoke or Eat in the Exhibit. Booth duty is a sales call, not a social call.
• Don’t Chew Gum. Even if you sell gum, any distraction that breaks the brief concentration of the visitor on your face and the conversation can mean a lost sale.
• Don’t Offend. Don’t curse, tell off-color jokes, offend people by race, gender or do anything else which may be culturally offensive. As business becomes more global, you can no longer assume everyone has your cultural sensitivities (or lack thereof). Jokes often don’t travel well. Language and dialect have their own nuances. As the Englishman told the American – “Just because we both speak English, doesn’t matter. We’re foreign.”
• Wash Your Hands. This single act may keep you and others alive.
• Know What You’re Talking About. Your company’s credibility is on the line, so it behooves you to know what you know, know what you don’t know and find out where the answers are in between.
• If You Don’t Know? Say so – and then find out the right answer. Get it to the visitor in the most expeditious way.
• Look at Me When I’m Talking to You. Don’t look over my shoulder for a better prospect. Pay attention to me. Use my name – it’s on my name badge!
• Don’t use the Cell Phone in the Booth. The simple matter is you look busy and I won’t bother you.

Training is about understanding trade shows. There are basic courses – online and seminars – which review the basics of Boothsmanship, but training provides more than common sense and basic sales skills. Training builds on the basics of Boothsmanship and involves:

• Process of a Trade Show. Determining the interrelationships of people, departments, all of the contracts and time frames before, during and after the show.
• Psychology of the Environment. Trade shows are different from any other selling environment. Understanding your personality preferences, your sales style and the personal dynamics at a show will put you at ease.
• Determine the ROI. There are many types of return-on-investment of a show. The most important is the financial return, but departments such as sales, marketing and R & D may have guidelines to determine whether a show is a good investment.
• Purpose of Participating. Each participant, division head and the corporation as a whole has a rationale for show selection, expectations and returns. Why are you going is a critical question up and down the corporate line.
• Strengths and Weaknesses of your Staff. The expectations your firm and the attendees have of the experience changes from show to show. Being able to select and train your staff for each individual show gives your firm an advantage. You should select the employees with the strongest skills to match the anticipated attendance and their level of need.
• Training is for Any Person with Responsibility. Particularly at the managerial level and above, and for those who want to be better educated about this important marketing effort, training gives an overview of the entire process.

Choosing the Right Tradeshow(s)

Let’s face it, everybody has exhibited at a trade show and at the end of the show said, “I’ll never do this show again”. With the proliferation of trade shows these days, which show do you choose? Well, first of all you don’t just choose one show and let that be your agenda for the year; you plan your schedule strategically. I would suggest, depending on your industry, let’s take manufacturing for example, you choose no fewer than two shows per year and more, if warranted (more on that in a minute). Two shows, one in the spring and one in the fall, allows your organization the benefit from any sales cycles that may exist. More to the point it allows your sales force to interface with prospects and suspects, not to mention customers, which may only get perfunctory attention during the rest of the year. And, it provides excellent momentum for introduction of new products and services. More than two shows? Absolutely, if your organization has opportunities in sectors of large market categories.

But which shows? Here are some suggestions to consider: If the show is National, where can your space be positioned and what is the trend in exhibitors? Can your space be positioned near the entrance or are you going to relegated to some obscure space in the back of the hall? When the call to entry comes in, are the same number of exhibitors signed up this year as last OR is it negative gain? Is the show manager, your industry association? And, if so, are they offering symposia on meaningful industry issues (or maybe no round tables or topics at all)? If so, can your sales manager be a speaker or at least on a round table discussion panel? If not, chances are your customers will feel the same and skip the show. I would poll your ten top customers and ask what show(s) they attend. And, if there are several new prospects or suspects that have high potential, ask them as well. A blinding glimpse of the obvious? Probably. Good marketing? You bet.

What if the shows your organization is considering are simply Regional or Local in scope? I would call the show manager and ask about attendance over the last several years. If it’s up or steady; it’s definitely worth considering. If not, what’s the point?

If it’s Regional, I would definitely ask the same set of questions but I would look for the participation of my competition as well. If your competition is there, you may be conspicuous by your absence. If not, it may be a golden opportunity, especially if the attendance is up from one year to the next. If your competition has been there but not recently, you may want to ask some more questions and see if the right set of prospects and suspects fits your goals.

If it’s Local, I would definitely check the venue. If the venue is a hotel or motel, it may be OK but only if you are offered adequate space (definitely not a hallway). If it’s a convention center or exhibition hall, definitely worth considering – the venue is right around the corner and you can rotate manning the booth throughout the show so it’s convenient for everybody.

Remember, NO MATTER WHAT THE SHOW, the organization that ends up with the most visitors to its space is the organization that wins.